Awning fastening device



June 11, 1935. c. w. GASSWINT 2,004,862

.AWNING :FASTENING DEVICE Fi led Aug. 17 1954 eral views,

Patented June 11, 1935 UNITED VIST'ATESII AWNING FASTENING DEVICECharles W. Gasswint, Mason City, Iowa Application August 17, 1934,Serial No. 740,331

a 3C laims (o1. 156 44) The present invention relates to awnings andlike structures, and has for an object to provide means for bracing theawning against rising and flapping and holding the same rigid even inthe strongest wind. I g

The invention provides an improved: brace which may be attached tovarious types of awning frames after the same have been installed, whichmay be disengaged when the awning is to be folded and wound and securedin an out of the way positiomand which securely-holds the awning frameloweredor extended when adjustedthereto. Y v

The invention also provides a brace having a movable part and a couplingon the awningframe quickly detachable from the movable part, so thataslight turn or movement of the hand is sufficient for securing thebraceinplace and also in releasing the brace, all -movable and securing partsbeing readily movable and quick acting.

Another feature of the invention is toprovide a brace which may beapplied to awnings of different sizes and which will notinterfere withfoot or other traflic passingbeneath the awning. With the foregoing andother; objects in. view, the invention will be more fully describedhereinafter, and will be more particularly pointe out in the claimsappended hereto In the drawing, wherein like symbols refer to like orcorresponding parts throughout the sev-.

Figure 1 is asidexelevation of aznconventional type of awning having theimproved fastening device applied. thereto, the dotted lines showing thefastening. device swung back outof the way;

Figure :2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the detachablecoupling used for holding the fastening device in position;

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken through the samezsubstant'iallyonthe line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section similar to Figure 3, but showing theclamping nut released, and

Figure 5 is an end view of the coupling bolt used.

Referring now to the drawing, the improved fastening device or brace isshown as applied to one form of awning, although different types orforms of awnings may be used. The awning comprises a fabric sheet I8secured at its upper end to a roller I I upon which the sheet In iswound when the awning is raised. The roller I I is supported in suitablebrackets I2, which may be secured-against the outer face of, ajwall I3,or the like, upon which the; awning is hung.

The outer or lower end of the sheet ID is connected to a swinging armI4, which, as shownin Figure 1, when in open position extends substan 5,

tially horizontallyoutward from the wall IS, The, inner end of the armI4 is ,connected by a pivot I5 to a bracket I6 secured against the wallI3. The arm .I4 is adapted to be swung upwardly against the wall: I3 andbeneath the roller II@ when the awning is raised. I i

In 'high wind particularly,the awning sheet l0 and the arm. are raised;and as the wind pressure varies the awning vibrates or flaps and thismovement is notonly objectionable as to the noise and vibration, but isalso. destructive to the awn-. ing, itself. To overcome this the presentinvention 'providesa brace arm. I! which is connected by a pivot I8 to abrace bracket I9. secured against the wall I3 at'a point-above theawning arm bracket 5.. The "outer or free. end .of the brace arm I? isprovided with a flat coupling portion or ear ZO-provided with alongitudinal slot 2|, the intermediate portion of-whi'ch'isenlarged androunded to provide a circular opening 22 which opens at opposite sidesinto the opposite ends of theslotzl," j m A clamp'23isadjustably-mounted upon an intermediateportion of the awning frame arm I4, and inthe present instance is shown as comprising a pair of opposedjaw-members recessed at their inner "sides to 'embrace'the arm I4, andwhich at their lower'ends have abutting flanges 24' through which issecured a'clamping screw 25 having the usual nut for'binding the lowerends of the clamp elements on the arm I4. The upper ends of the clampelements are of increased thickness and are provided; with recesses 26in their outer sides which are 'dispose'd in relativealignment and whichopen into axially aligned openings for the reception of one end'ofthe-sha'nk fl of a combined clamping and coupling bolt. The end 2! ofthe bolt is threaded at its extremity to receive a threaded nut orwasher 28, which is seated in one of the recesses 26. tion of theclamping bolt is provided with an enlarged circular head 29 whichpartially seats in the recess 26 at the opposite side of the clamp 23and which is of slightly less diameter than that of the opening 22 ofthe ear 2a. The ear 2:! 50 thus partially fits over the head 29, and theopposite end of the shank 21 is screw threaded and receives thereon awinged nut 30 which has a hub portion corresponding substantially indiamr eter to that of the head 29, so that the hub portion PATENT orFrcEThe intermediate porerence to the awning frame arm ld.

of the nut may freely pass through the circular opening 22 in the ear20.

For the purpose of holding the nut 30 to the,

shank of the bolt and preventing loss of the nut, the bolt is providedwith a kerf 3| in its outer end by means of which the bolt may be turnedor held stationary during the fastening of the nut 28 in position. Thekerf 3| also provides a split in the end of the bolt, so that theopposite portions of the bolt may be spread, as shown at 32 in Figure 4,to form an up-set on the end of the bolt holding the nut from beingbacked off entirely therefrom.

The Wings 33 of the nut 30 are diametrically opposed on the hub of thenut and are propor tioned relatively to the ends of the slot 2|.such

that, when the nut is turned to register the wings clamp 23. The pivotI8 of the brace arm I1 is sufficiently loose to admit of this lateralswinging of the brace I! to the necessary extent for releasing andcoupling the outer end of the brace with ref- It will be noted that thewings 33 are provided with straight inner edges adapted tobind againstthe outer face of the ear 2!! when the winged nut 30 is turned 1 into-anangle with reference to the slot 2|, as

shown in Figure 2. The pitch of the threads of the bolt 21 is such thatthe initial movement of the nut out of line with the slot will clear thewings 33 from the edge of the slot, and will gradually advance the nuttoward the clamp 23 so as to bind the. wings 33 against the ear 2. andin turn force the latter over against the clamp. The brace arm I! isthus rigidly clamped in position so that any pressure of wind beneaththe awning or against the underside of the arm I4 is resisted by thediagonallydi-sposed brace and thus the awning is maintained rigidly inopen position.

.When it is desired to' raise the awning it is only necessary to backofi the winged nut 30 to release the clamping pressure of the nut fromthe ear 20, and to bring the wings 33 into register below the awningframe bracket 16 :to register with the ear 2!! when swurigbackwardly outof the way. The bracket 34 is provided with asimi;

lar nutto that shown at 30, so that the ear 2'' may be rigidly clampedto the bracket 34 for hold ing the brace I] firmly in an out, of the wayposition.

This improved awning fasteningde'v-ice may be applied to awning framesor arms of various eonstructions whereinit is desirable to hold the armsfrom swinging or buckling upward.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in thedetails of construction and design of the above specifically describedembodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof,such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of thefollowing claims.

-What is claimed is:

1. A fastening device for awnings having a pivotally mounted frame arm,comprising a brace arm, a pivotal bracket connected to one end of thebrace arm and adapted to be mounted above the pivotal support of theawning frame arm, said brace arm having at its free end a longitudinallyslotted ear with an opening therethrough intersecting the slot, a clampadjustably mounted on the awning'frame arm, a coupling bolt carried bythe clamp, and a winged nut mounted on the bolt for passage through the,opening in the ear when the wings of the nut register with the slot,said nut adapted to be turned for binding the wings against the outerside of the ear to clamp the latter against said clamp. g

2. A fastening device for awnings having a downwardly swinging framearm, a diagonal brace having a pivotal support above-'said'frame arm andhaving a slotted and apertured ear at; its free end, a clamp adjustablymounted on the awning arm, a threaded bolt carried by the clamp andextending'outwardly therefrom for receiving the ear. thereover, and awinged nut carried by the bolt for passage through the aperture and slotof the ear, said nut being adapted to be turned up against theear forbinding the same to the clamp. Y

3. A fastening device for awnings having an outwardly swinging arm,comprising a brace arm, a bracket pivotally mounted on one end of thebrace arm and adapted to be mounted in vertically spaced relation to theawning arm, a clamp comprisinga pair of opposed elements adapted toembrace .the. awning arm, a clamping bolt engaging through. the adjacentends of the elements at one side of the arm, a combined clamping andcoupling bolt having a shank portion engaging through the other ends ofthe elements for binding the same to' the awning am, saidelemen'tshaving recesses in their outer side about said combined bolt, anut on one end of the bolt seated in'one of said recesses, a head on theintermediate portion of the bolt partially seated in the. oppositerecess, said brace 'arm having a fiat apertured and slotted ear at itsfree end, said ear adapted to engage the clamp with said head of thebolt partially engaging in the opening of theear, and

combined tbolt for passage through the opening and the slot in the earand adapted to be turned up against the ear to secure the sameto theclamp.

CHARLES w. GAsswm'r.

.5 I a-winged nut threaded upon the outer end of the

